New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Mikey Wax Official Website) "Every Once in a While You Hear a Song for the First Time, and You Can't Get it Out of Your Head"
"Wax has a knack for infectious pop melodies"
Early Raves Precede Mikey Wax's 'Constant Motion,' Out 9/20; Propulsive Pop/Rock CD Evokes The Fray,
George Michael and Jason Mraz
Produced by Warren Huart (Aerosmith, Kris Allen)
Early raves have preceded the
September 20th release of 'Constant Motion,' the soul-infused pop/rock album by up-and-coming singer Mikey Wax. In his upbeat review via tastemaker outlet BlogCritics, veteran writer Jack Goodstein affirms that Wax "has a knack for infectious pop melodies," and offers high praise for the ballad 'Marion': "Every once in a while you hear a song for the first time, and you can't get it out of your head." Rock/pop writer Nick DeRiso, via SomethingElseReviews, syndicates: "Wax is exploring love's limits on Constant Motion, owning up to the way it fails us, but yet he keeps running toward it — like a moth to the flame. In this way, I suppose, Wax is no different than you or me, except of course for the hooks, the voice and, yeah, the lyrics." Wax's CD was produced by Warren Huart (Aerosmith, Kris Allen,) and evokes contemporary artists such as
The Fray and Jason Mraz, but also suggests Wax as a disciple of superstar singer-songwriters including
Billy Joel and
George Michael. The result is a dynamic mix that resonates as both a throwback and utterly fresh. Listen to streaming samples, here: https://www.mikeywax.com/press.html. Wax, who is currently on tour with Elliott Yamin, will soon appear on NBC-TV during a concert visit to Knoxville, TN. Full itinerary follows.
https://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-mikey-wax-constant-motion/
https://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Mikey-Wax-Constant-Motion-2138029.php
Every once in awhile you hear a song for the first time, and you can't get it out of your head. You need to listen to it again and again, and no matter how many times you hear it, it doesn't get old. "Marion," a haunting ballad on singer/songwriter Mikey Wax's sophomore CD Constant Motion, is just such a song. I don't know if it's the arrangement that builds from a simply stated melody to a climax, and then falls back to echo the beginning with a framing effect. I don't know if it's the emotional intensity of the sometime cryptic lyric, which seems to speak to an ineffable relation between the past and the present. The Marion of the title is the mother of the woman the singer is in love with, perhaps has just married. She is a woman he has never met, but as he dances with her daughter who is wearing her long white dress, it is as though he can feel her presence, as though somehow the past is an inevitable part of the present. The trouble with getting too analytical is like any great lyric, the more you try to explain it, the more there is to say.
And "Marion" is not the only gem on the CD. Whether he slows things down with a ballad or goes uptempo, Wax has a knack for infectious pop melodies. In songs like "
No Regrets" and "Keep Dreaming," he can take a retro vibe and transform it into something new. Then in songs like "Long Lost Dream" and "Counting on You," he can turn to propulsive power pop. He can move from the simple lines of "
Fall For You" to the more complex rhythms of "How it Feels." But no matter the direction, the melody is always front and center.
Constant Motion, the CD's title, is taken from a phrase in "Counting on You." In a world that is in constant motion, that is always changing, we need something, someone that we can count on. "Ah love, let us be true /To one another," says a poet from an earlier day, for the world has "neither joy, nor love, nor light,/Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain." This was Matthew Arnold way back in the 19th century, and it is a message Wax has resurrected for the 21st. "You and I, we will make it through" is Wax's version of Arnold, and in one way or another it is the plaint of each of the eleven songs on the CD. Don't get me wrong, these are not art songs. Most of these are the kind of pop tunes which will be playing on your local radio station any day now.
See for yourself. Check out the singer's website: he's offering his fans a couple of free downloads.
By Nick DeRiso 8/22/11
https://somethingelsereviews.com/2011/08/22/mikey-wax-constant-motion-2011/
The best pop songs are about more than their surface allures — the hook, the voice, maybe the lyric. The best pop songs are bound up both in simplicity and mystery, bringing you over a ridge to these stunning emotional vistas, even as you are still trying to get the seatbelt secured. Mikey Wax's forthcoming Constant Motion, a soulful pop-rock effort, is filled with such things: On the swirling "Marion," for instance, he mourns a time "before the world had lost her way," but the route back to a long-gone love isn't so easily found: "We're separated," Wax finally concludes, "by the present and the past." Then there's "No Regrets." Boasting a smartly swinging groove, the track transforms a shopworn initial theme — "let's love with no regrets" — with a lyric (and a vocal performance) that explores not just the possibilities, but also the risks, the traps. "If I give love," Wax finally admits, "I want it back."
Wax, and this is where Constant Motion gets its momentum, dilates into these moments of specificity, those times when everything becomes clear. You have "How It Feels," with a memorably quirky, loose-lugnut rhythm, where Wax tries to come to terms with the long wait between screwing up and getting back together. Even "Fall For You," running counter-clockwise to its title, is no love song; instead, it's a folky lament about the time spent endlessly pining for someone who couldn't give a damn.
Yet, and this is interesting, there are just as many moments redemption, of true embrace. Wax won't give into the coldness that threatens to blow through every heartbreak. I loved the music, but I loved its core sensibility even more: There's his central character in the John Mayer-ish opener "Counting On You" who, even swinging almost completely control, can't help but try to take it all in. "Long Lost Dream," a burst of pop music without any of the era's knowing winks, simply lets sun in from every conceivable angle: "I want to believe," Wax sings, in a swirling Oz-like moment of black and white-to-colorized charm.
On the closing "You Tell Me When," a plucky piece of Appalachia-meets-Jason Mraz songcraft, Wax's protagonist tries at playing it cool, but he can't help but say what he feels: "You tell me when, and I'll meet you there."
Wax is exploring love's limits on Constant Motion, owning up to the way it fails us, but yet he keeps running toward it — like a moth to the flame. In this way, I suppose, Wax is no different than you or me, except of course for the hooks, the voice and, yeah, the lyrics.
More coverage here:
PHILLYBURBS Syndicated Preview Article:
https://www.phillyburbs.com/entertainment/music/mikey-wax-to-bring-soulful-pop-rock-to-sellersville/article_1a2c5505-070b-52b5-b6be-c02bc5cf4c38.html
KSL - Top 5 Bands Ready to Make it Big:
https://www.ksl.com/?sid=16870901&nid=968
Argot and Dochre: https://argotandochre.com/2011/08/mikey-wax-does-it-differently/
'Constant Motion' opens with a pair of uptempo, radio-friendly tracks - the propulsive 'Counting on You,' and the retro-soul groove of 'How It Feels'. On the sweeping 'Marion', Wax channels 'Listen Without Prejudice' and showcases his rich, beautiful voice and range as a singer. As a live performer, Wax is the real deal, and has wowed audiences with his ability to play guitar and piano simultaneously. See a clip, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLHgwhzMPGY&feature=youtu.be&t=44s
The
September 20th CD has been previewed by a two-song free-giveaway for fans, via https://www.mikeywax.com/constantmotion. Wax's relationship with his fans is impressive - he now hosts over 250,000 followers via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube. He's also become known for his 'House Concerts,' which have become his signature style of touring (more details below.) 'Constant Motion' is Wax's second full-length CD, and showcases his growth as a songwriter and vocalist. His late '08 debut CD and subsequent '10 EP won praise from numerous writers on the Indie
Music scene and drove some impressive stats (https://www.mikeywax.com/onesheet.pdf).
Upcoming tour dates (w/Elliott Yamin):
Mon Sep 12 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard Rock Cafe
Tue Sep 13 - NYC - Mercury Lounge
Wed Sep 14 - Alexandria, VA - Birchmere
Fri Sep 16 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theatre
Sat Sep 17 - Norfolk, CT -
Infinity Hall
Sun 9/18 - Manchester, NH - Boynton's Taproom
Mon 9/19 - Teaneck, NJ - Mexicali Live
Tue Sep 20 - Virginia Beach, VA - Jewish Mother
Thu Sep 22 - Knoxville, TN - The Square
Fri Sep 23 - Nashville, TN - Third & Lindsley
Sun Sep 25 - Atlanta, GA - Smith's Olde Bar
Tue Sep 27 -
Little Rock, AR - Juanitas
More dates will be announced soon.
Visit https://www.mikeywax.com/Site/Shows.html for updates.
More About Mikey Wax:
Up & coming singer/songwriter Mikey Wax was raised on Long Island and embraced the music of Billy Joel,
James Taylor,
Dave Matthews Band and other substantive artists from an early age.
Wax entered the music scene with the release of his debut album "Change Again" in November of 2008. Quoted by bullz-eye magazine as "uplifting pop/rock and darker, slower-tempo fare", the album received instant recognition ranking at 46 on the iTunes top 100 pop chart in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Since then, Wax has completed several cross-country tours supporting artists such as Howie Day, Serena Ryder, Landon Pigg, Tyler Hilton &
Ryan Cabrera to name a few. The single "In Case I Go Again" has been featured on popular television shows including CBS's
Ghost Whisperer & MTV's The Real World. Most recently, the music video for "In Case I Go Again" was featured on the YouTube homepage receiving over 500,000 views. In the press, the single has been referred to as "a cool blend of
John Mayer meets Coldplay, but clearly still original and catchy!"
In April of 2010, Wax released "The Traveler" EP for free download on his website mikeywax.com. Integrating social networking to download the EP, "The Traveler" received over 10,000 downloads and contributed to Mikey now hosting over 250,000 fans combined via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube. In the summer of 2010, Wax completed a headlining house concert tour of 35 homes across the country. This intimate tour left Mikey with hundreds of new fans who connected to his music in a unique and memorable way. House concerts have since become Wax's signature style of touring. He completed a winter house concert tour in January, and just embarked on his second annual summer house tour. He also performed in front of 20,000 at Long Island's Great South Bay
Music Festival this July. Prior to hitting the road, Mikey went back to the studio to record his second full-length album with producer Warren Huart (The Fray, Kris Allen,
James Blunt). The record is Mikey's most anticipated release to-date, and will be available 9/20. With a dedicated fan base that keeps growing, Mikey continues to reach higher levels by writing new material, touring consistently, and connecting to fans online and at shows.
Visit www.mikeywax.com
